Apparatus for treating sewage



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. S. E. HARTHAN.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE. No. 390,168. Patented Sept. 25,1888.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 S. E. ,HARTHAN.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

No. 390,168. Patented Sept. 25,1888.

I| E; T F -w N I I. 13:.

N 4 i k 1 I I I w 1\ N l l I 1 Q XNZ/Z'NTUE: l

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

S. EMERSON IIARTIIAN, OF IVOROESTER, MASSAGIIUSETTS.-

APPARATUS FOR TREATING SEWAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 390,168, datedSeptember 25, 1888.

Application filed March 3,1857. Serial No. 229,528. (No model.) I

To (all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that 1 S. EMERSON IIARTIIAN, a citizen ofthe United States,residing at Worcester, in the county of W'orecster and State oflilassachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inApparatus 01" Plant forTrealing Sewage and Water, of which thefollowing, together with the aceompanying drawings, is a specificationsufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable persons skilled in the artto which this invention appertains to make and use the same.

The object of my present invention is to provide an cllicient andeconomical apparatus or :5 plant for the treatment or purification ofsewage and water; and my invention consists in an apparatus constructedand organized for operation as illustrated and explained in thefollowing description, the particular subject matter claimed beinghereinafter definitely specified.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view illustrating my improved plantfor treating sewage. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of thesame, and Fig. 3 is a transverse section of one of the filter-beds,drawn to a somewhat larger scale.

In referring to parts, A denotes the water course or channel whereby thesewage is delivered to the filteririg-compartments, which preferablyconsist of oblong areas inelosed by upright side walls, a, with abulk-head, B, at the lower end, and having an overflow or rollway, I),at its top for the discharge of the water. Any desired number of thesecompartments may be employed, according to the extent of the plant. Inthe present instance I have shown two compartments arranged side byside, each being provided with a gate, 0, for shutting off the passagefrom the supplychannel A, so that either compartment can be drainedwhile the other is in operation.

D indicates a filter-bed disposed within the compartment, preferably ina more or less oblique or inclined position longitudinally thereof andlaterally horizontal. Said filter-bed in the present instance commencesat one end near the head of the compartment, at the bottom thereof, andgradually rises to a position 50 near the bulk-head B',where the filteris above the water-level or top line of the bulk-head.

In practice the size of the filter-bed may be eight to ten feet (more orless) in width and from fifty to one hundred feet (more or less) inlength.

The filter-bed is supported on suitable framework, E, and may becomposed of any suitable material. The construction which I deem bestfor this filter-bed is illustrated in Fig. 3,whcrein 6 indicates aseriesof longitudinal boards sup- 6o ported narrow edge upward on the framesE.Upon these are a coarse-mesh grating or netting, (1, next amediumly-fine mesh wire-netting,d, then three courses (more or less) ofhair felt, F Fl and above these a fine wire- 6 5 netting, f, and aseries of longitudinal iron slats or bars, 1'. This construction may bemodified as desired for effecting equivalent operation.

G indicates an endless belt or chain, composed of a series oftransverselydisposed scraping-bars, of wood or other suitable material,linked together, and mounted on guiding wheels or rolls G anddriving-sprocket II, and operated to travel along the top surface of thefilter-bed from its lower to its upper end for scraping the depositedsludge or solid material therefrom. The scraping-bars G of the chainbelt slide along the longitudinal slats 1', whereby unnecessary wear onthe surface of the felt or top netting is prevented.

The traveling chain G of scraping-bars (l transfers the'sludge from thefilter-bed D to a conductor, I, that leads into a revolublehydro-extractor or centrifugal machine, J, by means of which the greaterportion of the moisture is made so as to be self-dischargingthat is, itis discharged from the sludge. Said machine J has a rotatable basket ofsuch form that a constant supply of material may be fed into it from theconductor I, and as the solid material becomes freed from moisture it iscaused, by the rotation of the extractor, to work up and over the edgeof the basket, and falls into a receiving-space, Z, from which it iscarried to any desired place of delivery by the endless-band conveyor L.The feeding and discharge of the hydro-extractor is thus renderedautomatic and continuous, so that it opcrates withoutthe necessity ofspecial attention of an attendant. A pipe or conductor, J, leads fromthe water-space of the extractor mech anism into the filter compartment,through which the water extracted from the sludge can flow back to saidcompartment to be refiltered.

M indicates a driving-shaft, provided with suitable pulleys and belts, min m, for operating the filter-clearing belts G, the hydro-extractor J,and conveyer L.

A turbine water-wheel, N, arranged to take water from thefiltercompartments below the filter-bed by a suitable gate or gates, asa, is in the present instance provided for operating the apparatus, itsshaft N being provided with suitable pulleys, from which a belt, m, runsto the pulley on shaft M for transmitting power and motion thereto. Thedriving me, is preferably a watenwheel, as N, in cases where there issullieient head and fall to give the re quired power; butasteam-engineorother kind of motor may be used for operatingpower if more convenientor preferred, and the shafting and pulleys,with their driving belt orgearing, may be disposed in any convenient arrangement.

In the operation of my improved apparatus the sewage from the channel Aflows onto the top surface of the filter bed or beds D and percolatesthrough the felting, leaving the solid matter or sludge on the topsurface of the filter. The water flows over the top of the bulkhead B orthrough the gate 11, and escapes down the channel or tail-race It. Thecleaning-belt G, being in action, scrapes the accumulated solid matteror sludge into the con ductor I,whence it falls into the central chamberof the extractor-machine J, and is delivered therefrom to the conveyerL, whereby it is carried to the place of deposit, to be burned ordisposed of in any manner desired. The operation of the mechanism forfiltering and removing the sludge is continuous and automatic, and canbe maintained or operated with economy and with but little attention.\Vhen necessary, the gate 0 can be closed and a compartment drainedthrough the waste-gate s, to facilitate repairs or overhauling thefilter-bed while the filter in the other compartment is in operation;

\Vhat I claim as of my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. Ineombination,snbstantiallyasdescribed, the stationary filtering-bedl), the endless traveling cleari ng-belt (l, provided with a series oflaterallydisposed scrapers that drag along the face of thefiltering-bed, the guiding and operating rolls carrying said belt,ahydro-extractor mechanism into which the sludge is depositedautomatieally from said clearing-belt, and means for imparting motion tosaid mechanism, for the purposes set forth.

2. In a plant for treating sewage, aiilteringbed constructed as shownand described, and consisting of the transverse frames E, thelongitudinal strips e, the gratings d cl, supported on the edges of saidstrips, sheets of filtering material, F, and the longitudinal guard-bars13, extending along the face thereof, in combination with a chain orbelt having a series of scrapers that travel along the face of thefilter supported by said guard-bars, substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. The within-described purifying apparatus, consisting of thefilter-bed 1), endless traveling belt G, having scraper-bars G, sup

ported on guide-rolls G, the operating-wheel.

H, the conductor I, the selfdiseharging hydroextractor J, eonveyer L,and water returnpipe J, arranged, substantially as shown and described,for treating sewage by continuous action, as set forth.

W'itness my hand this 26th day of Ifiebruary, A. 1). 1887.

S. EMERSON HAlt'lIIAN. Wi tncsses:

(Janis. I'I. Bunmnun, ELLA l. BLnNUs.

